FBA 17

The FBA 17 was a single‑engine, two‑seat biplane produced by Franco‑British Aviation (FBA) in the early 1920s. Designed as a successor to the successful FBA‑type series of World War I seaplanes, the 17 first flew in 1922 and was offered in both landplane and floatplane configurations. Powered usually by a 120‑hp Hispano‑Suiza 8Ab V‑8, the aircraft featured a wooden frame covered with fabric, equal‑span wings of rectangular planform, and a fixed tailskid undercarriage. Its simple, robust construction made it popular for training, liaison and observation duties, and several were purchased by the French Navy, the Royal Air Force and the Belgian Aeronautic Service. The FBA 17’s ease of handling and low stall speed earned it a reputation as an excellent introductory aircraft for novice pilots transitioning from basic trainers to more powerful machines. Although production numbers were modest—around 80 units—the type illustrated the post‑war shift from wartime patrol seaplanes to versatile civil and military utility aircraft, influencing later designs such as the Fokker F.VII and contributing to the development of interwar French aeronautical engineering. The last examples left service in the early 1930s, and a few are preserved in museums today.